‘We should be trusted as fairly professional people with standards’
Councillors call for £100 limit so they can accept gifts such as wine
COUNTY councillors have called for the maximum value of gifts and hospitality they can receive without declaring to be increased to £100 as part of a new code of conduct being considered.
The Local Government Association has produced a new model code of conduct for elected members, which Staffordshire County Council is considering for adoption.
But members of the authority’s audit and standards committee have questioned the proposed minimum value of any gifts or hospitality they must report to the council’s monitoring officer.
Governance and support manager Julie Plant said: “It’s pleasing to see that this code ups the value from £25 to £50, which was roughly what members were supporting.
“The £50 is an improvement on what was there before.”
But Councillor David Brookes suggested this figure should be doubled.
He said: “The £25 was far too low and I still think the £50 is far too low. It raises more questions than it answers.
“I remember when I was a borough councillor a resident of mine was upset – the house she lived in had a road sign that said public toilet pointing directly to her house but it meant 50 yards up the road.
“Because the sign was moved she wanted to say thank you and give me a bottle of wine.
“At the time I declined it and I think she was quite upset and put down by that.
“Regularly a friend of mine invites me for a day out at Uttoxeter Races, he’s got a box. He’s a close and personal friend.
“I don’t want to be scratching my head as to whether I should declare it or not, as clearly the day’s entertainment that I receive and the company I couldn’t buy for £50.
“Most of us as county councillors are fairly professional people and we’ve had a lifetime of experience in business or whatever field we’ve been involved with.”
Councillor Paul Northcott said: “We are professional, we operate in very high standards in terms of our own personal and business lives and I think we should be trusted.
“I think the limit is far too low, bearing in mind there are things like invites to the County Show. A couple of tickets for myself and my wife could easily go over £50 and I don’t think that’s reflective of the times we live in.”
But John Tradewell, director of corporate services, told the meeting the measures only applied when gifts and hospitality were offered to a member because of their role as a councillor.
“Gifts and hospitality offered from friends in your private life do not have to be declared”, he added.
“Even if gifts and hospitality are offered to you and they are over a value of £50 the code doesn’t say you can’t accept those gifts and hospitality.
“What the code says is you have to declare them in those circumstances.
“I think it’s right that members do declare gifts and hospitality that are offered to them because they are councillors.
“That is something I think the public is entitled to know and it’s a principle of good transparency in local government, that where you are offered things as a county councillor you make that clear to the public.”
Councillor Carolyn Trowbridge said: “I can’t see why we’re having this discussion.
“What wine has David Brookes been given? You need to come to Aldi with me – for £3.99 you can get an award-winning wine.
“Just record it after £50 – I don’t see what the big deal is.
“I think we’re making a huge fuss.”